Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-12-27
Sauthcrn s,niifornin.

California justifies the use of so large
an adjective as phenomenal. Within
two years the population OF Los An
geles has risen from 20 900 to 60,O00,
and seems to be increasing with at
least as much rapidity as ever. From
a sleepy Mexican town it has changed
to brisk American city. In eighteen
months San Diego has climbed from
5000 to % 900. Already, in imagina-
ton, it sees itself q busy metropolis OF
$50 900, and riding in its beautiful
bay the fleets of the world. With
rare courage it is putting in the most
approved sewerage and grading all Its
streets to fit a great future. Nor Is
this all. Large towns are coming
into existence on the route between
the two cities. -Four years ago Pasa-
dena was not. To-day it is fair city
OF 5000 to 10000. A year ago last
May the first house was built in Mon
rovia; and it has taken only eighteen
months to erect very nearlya thous-
and more. Something like this is
going on in certainly twenty or thirty
places. Nor is it mushroom growth.
Most of the houses are substantial,
some handsome, few elegant. This
very day l rode by place in one o!
the smaller towns on which the owner
is expanding $40, 900.
For all this apparent prosperity
there is some just cause. | certainly
do not accept the enthusiastic prophe-
CIV of the man who tells YOU in good
faith that he is sure that in ten years
there will be fifteen millions of peo-
pie in California. | do not think all
New Englanders will desert what the
newspapers kindly calls " the afro
cious climate OF the Eastern States"
and with it so many memories and
privileges, to emigrate thither. | do
not believe that there is any sound
reason why lots in little town thirty
miles from Los Angeles should be
dearer than in Dorchester, or the first
one staked out on bare plain
two hours from any centre should
be as expensive as one in the old
town of Concord. All these things
are extravagant, and belong to days
of booms. l can see both sides; for
to the core am New Highlander,
and love Its atrocious climate" and
sigh even now for little cloud ''to
temper the deceitful ray" But Los
Angeles is fast becoming railroad
center, and before was the center OF a
large producing district; and it was
in the book OF fate that at the ap-
pointed time it should wax great.
San Diego has one of the best har-
bors in the world, deep, land-locked,
sheltered fro all winds, and capable
of floating | know not how many
ships, and back of it norle slope
on which a great city can be built,
famed in every part by ocean breezes );
and it was not possible that it should
always be forgotten where good ports
are so scarce. New England has
been the home OF strong men and
brave women, who have grown strong
and brave by wrestling with its stern
conditions. 1t would be a bad day
for American civilization when they
ceased to be there. That the world
knows right we'll. But in New Eng
land, in the Middle States, YES, and
just rs much in the Western States,-
are those who need and must have a
milder and more equable climate.
Southern California is their destined
home, where they will build up pleas
ant vi lagos and stately towns.
This rapid growth of population has
wonderfully helped our few societies.
I have visited two of the towns in
which they are, Los Angeles and San
Diego. In the former, Brother Fay
breaches every Sunday to five hun
dred people. If he carries out his
present purpose-and he assuredly
will, at an early date-of leading his
people to build a comely and commo-
dious place OF worship, then he will
have put on a sure foundation one of
our strongest and most useful
C urches. At San Diego, uuder the
f4ithful and energetic lead OF MIR. Nc
Daniel, the society has outgrown the
capacity of the neat little chapel built
in 1888; and it must be question of
only a few months when the accom-
modations must be enlarged.
But am interested just as much
in what is going on outside
these churches. l give three
years as the limit within which
twenty towns shall grow up in
Southern California, numbering from
5000 to $4,000 souls. In every one of
these towns there will be Unitarians,
both from the East and the West. |
am in Pasadena, and | find in it not
less than twenty such from one New
England town. pass over into the
next village and / find eight or ten
more. And SO it is all along the line.
But experience shows clearly that to
every born Unitarian in California
who needs our ministry you must add
at least two who come from other folds,
and yet more need our ministry.
What do we propose to do for those
towns? Are we going to help them
to higher faith? Are the young
men growing up, who will be ready
to leave fatherland behind, to preach
a liberal gospel as bright and fructify-
ing as the sun which here floods the
earth with its splendor? Are we to
have growing Loan Fund with
which to rear needed places of wor-
ship? Shall we be glad to furnish aid
to help these infant churches to stand
erect? Or do we mean to let the OPP
portunity pass by, and be blind to the
call? These are serious questions
which rise in my mind, and will not
down, as to walk these new but busy
streets.-[Rev Grindell Reynolds, in
The Christian Register.
Lots in the Holiday Tract for sale !: